I Know My Place, It's Time You Learnt Yours
by lupus-stellam
Summary: (Post ATLA/Pre-LOK) Being a Fire Lord is not easy. Especially when effects of the past has shaped what you do. After a minor falling out with his daughter, Zuko finds solace in one unexpected member he called his family.


Author's note: We know Zuko's wife was never revealed, so I just added Mai as Izumi's mother. (Why is there no character tag for Fire Lord Izumi-) Inspired from a scene in Mulan.

* * *

The dining table at the Fire Nation Royal Palace was quiet. It had been a long day for the Fire Lord and his family. Meeting after meeting with military generals did not bode well.

Izumi tugged at her food quietly as she watched both of her parents dining quietly. Images of the previous meeting replayed in her mind.

—

" _My Lord. The army has been assembled. We are prepared to leave at sunrise in two days."_

 _Zuko's trademark frown wore his features even more, as he nodded_.

" _Father-isn't there a better way to quash the rebellion?"_

" _The Earth Kingdom needs our might, and as much as I don't want to, they have caused trouble." Zuko replied dejectedly. "The gates of our Nation has been broken down and I fear if this continues, the safety of our people will be at stake."_

 _Izumi knew better than to argue in the face of all the generals who were now silently watching her, prompting her to shrink back in her seat._

Being unable to withstand the silence, she placed the cup down a little too loudly, that a thud caught the attention of both parents, and the guards outside their doors.

"You shouldn't have to do this." Izumi turned to Zuko.

"Izumi-"

"There're plenty of soldiers to fight for the Fire Nation. Why did you have to go as well?"

"As the Fire Lord, it is an honour and duty to protect my country and my family."

"So you'll die, for honour. Again."

"I will die doing what's right."

"But if you-"

Hands hitting the table, Zuko stood up in a looming arc over his daughter as he said those cutting words. "I know my place! It is time you learnt yours."

Silence hung the air for a while.

Izumi's golden eyes widened in fear and blinked back at the pair of equally coloured eyes from the man she inherited them from.

Even Mai rose a brow in surprise at Zuko's outburst, before checking on her daughter. Izumi's lips trembled as she tried to stay calm.

"I-I'm sorry…" The words barely escaped Izumi's lips as she bowed her head and dashed out of the dining hall.

"Izumi-" Mai whipped her head in Zuko's direction, about ready to snap when she suddenly hesitated. She swore she could see a flicker of remorse in Zuko's face as he watched Izumi's departure, before it melted into a sigh of exasperation.

Inwardly groaning, she only gave Zuko a reassuring pat on the hand before finishing her dinner.

—

"I'll talk to her."

Zuko nodded quietly as Mai went the direction to Izumi's room, he went to the balcony of the main palace hall. Upon looking up at the moon, he whispered aloud.

"Uncle...what would you do if you were me…?"

"If I were you, I would have sucked it up and tried to convince her. But those words weren't really what I expected to hear from you, Zuzu."

Turning around, Zuko was face to face with the one other royal family member.

"Azula." Zuko stared at her. Even though she was dressed in a robe and her hair was in a messy rushed bun, even when many years had laid marks upon her being, she still looked every bit the sister he grew up with.

"Mai told me everything." She replied as she leaned against the balcony railing next to him.

"The rebellion in Ba Sing Se has become a problem to the point our people are getting hurt. I didn't want to form an army, but it seemed one of the ways to keep our people safe is to take up arms again." Zuko sighed for the umpteenth time that day.

"That sounds exactly like what Father would have done." She responded, as she looked at the moon. "Ever since Uncle left, you haven't been yourself since."

The Fire Lord had half a mind to glare, but he was powerless to give a good counter. As harsh as her words were, she was right. Iroh's departure had left Zuko with plenty of wise words to pass as his legacy, and yet there were times he found himself floundering around helplessly, when seemingly insurmountable obstacles were set in his path. For many weeks, Zuko was less able to help himself get out of his chambers, let alone conduct his duties as Fire Lord. Mai had been running the nation in Zuko's place, and that was when, with Zuko's assent, the Fire Nation once more welcomed Azula to the royal court, as an advisor to help in running the nation. As much as it annoyed Azula that Zuko was crippled to that extent, she was grateful it gave her a chance to be able to contribute back into the Fire Nation, after many years of being treated from her mental instability. Some added solid encouragement on most of the former gang-Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph-brought him back on his feet again, ready to take on his role once more.

When Zuko didn't respond, Azula knew she had struck a nerve, and decided to let the cloud linger over her brother's head for a while, before she started again.

"Hey, dum dum." Zuko's ears perked when he heard her use the insult she frequented when they were still younger. It puzzled him that her usually sharp tone had softened considerably.

"What is it?"

"Even I'm not blind to all your efforts. I have no say in what you intend to do for the nation, but I can say what you can do to make up with Izumi."

"No...I...How could I have done that? I know better—! Her eyes...I could see the fear she had in her eyes...it reminded me of...that day. I was looking at myself, as my father..." Hostile words and the chill of a hundred eyes boring into his physique revisited him in the form of a memory. One that has marked him for life.

"Oh." Knowing full well what her brother was on about, she kept quiet. She remembered smugly grinning as she watched Zuko get mutilated by his father's flames. It sobered her for a while, before she continued.

"She's a teenager. If you aren't going to banish her, that's good enough. She's sixteen years old, she'll understand that you didn't mean what you said. Meanwhile, I'm going back to bed. Good night, Zuko." With a swish of her robe, she waved at Zuko as she headed back to her chambers.

"Good night...Azula."

Watching after her willowy figure, marked by the scars that made her the war torn beauty she was even after many years, Zuko took a deep breath as he too headed back inside.

—

However, he didn't head back to his chambers. He stopped by Izumi's room. Upon opening the door, he found that she was curled up in her blankets, asleep. He crept inside slowly, brushed some of her long hair to one side, before he pecked her cheek. "I'm sorry, Izumi."

"Nnnhhh…." Izumi groaned as she turned around to see who it was. Initially, she just about screamed, but covered her mouth just in time. "Father…?"

"I didn't mean to lash out at you earlier. It's just...it's been a long day." Zuko hugged her gently, in which was returned warmly by Izumi.

"I know, Father. I'm sorry too. But I'm still not at ease about the decision to march to Ba Sing Se with an army."

"Me too. I'll arrange for a meeting with the generals again tomorrow. And I want you to come with me. I'll make sure your views are heard as well."

The golden eyes belonging to Izumi gleamed as she beamed, hugging her father gently. "Thank you, Father. I'll do my best—!"

"Now I must go. Good night, my little turtleduck."

"Rest well, Father." Izumi greeted, as she was punctuated with a yawn.

Outside, Mai and Azula looked on, both in varying states of relief.

"Thank the spirits that's settled." Mai spoke, with a tone that quite expressed _"Finally!"_

"Tell me about it." Azula replied with a small smirk.

"Really? You two set me up, didn't you?" Zuko just about barked as he reached the two ladies, who only laughed as he followed them, closing the door behind him.


End file.
